Both the Odisha boys and girls team secured silver medal in the 43rd Junior National Kho-Kho Championship, which was held at Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar Sports Stadium in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh from 25 to 29 November 2024. Maharashtra bagged both the gold medals in the five-day National championship.

Both the finals proved to be hard-fought contests with Maharashtra boys and girls defeating their Odisha opponents 33-29 and 24-20 respectively. Maharashtra boys won the title for the 19th time in a row and 35th time overall. Maharashtra girls lifted the champions trophy for the 10th successive time and 26th time overall.

Odisha girl Lisarani Raita was adjudged as the best attacker along with Maharashtra boy Prem Dalvi, The best defender award went to Odisha boy Bapi Murmu and Maharashtra girl Tanvi Bhosale.

Odisha boys reached the final, beating hosts Uttar Pradesh 40-32 in the quarterfinals and Karnataka 30-22 in the semifinals. Odisha girls made it to the summit clash, defeating Tamil Nadu 26-23 in the quarterfinals and Kolhapur 31-21 in the semifinals.

Odisha Kho Kho Association president Narayan Patra and secretary Pradyumna Mishra congratulated the State junior teams for their success. Both the Odisha teams featured 15 players each.

ODISHA BOYS TEAM: Sunil Patra, Yashwant Yadav, Bhagirathi Majhi, Sesabasanta Sabar, Sambit Nathsharma, Bapi Murmu, Sumit Sahoo, Kuna Behera, Ramesh Sahoo, Subhankar Pradhan, Niranjan Sahoo, Sukra Muduli, Abhijit Sahoo, Ayush Sahoo, Raghu Soyam.

ODISHA GIRLS TEAM: Archana Pradhan, Smaranika Sahoo, Debasmita Das, Harapriya Bhuyan, Lisarani Raita, Rakhi Mundary, Ashika Kujur, Subhashree Mallick, Sabita Murmu, Champa Majhi, Nisha Khatun, Truptirekha Barik, S Rukmini, Basanti Nag, K Ramaya.

Chief Coach: Anil Laxman Ganjave, Assistant Coaches: Bharat Kumar Pradhan & Rupali Pradhan. Manager: Debi Prasad Das.
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PHOTO: Odisha boys and girls teams pose with their trophies and medals at the Junior National Kho-Kho Championship in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh on 29 Nov 2024.